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We all know that if you ask the wrong questions, you’ll get the wrong answers. And nowhere is this more important than in the health insurance marketplace, as consumers make decisions about which health plan to buy or renew. Today’s blog reviews the most important questions that assisters need to ask consumers in order to help them choose the plan that reflects their unique health care priorities.

A few years ago, Audrey Chabot didn’t know whether she would live to celebrate another Thanksgiving with her family. This self-employed pastry chef said she was so sick that she felt like she was “at death’s door.” But this year, as the Chabot family gathers for their Thanksgiving dinner in Maumee, Ohio, they’ll be thanking the Affordable Care Act that their matriarch has a seat at the table.

November is Native American Heritage Month, a time for the country to remember and honor the histories, contributions, and struggles of the 566 federally recognized tribes and the 5.4 million American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) living in the United States. November is also the first month of open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) 2016 marketplace coverage. While the federal government is obligated to provide health care to Native Americans through the Indian Health Service (IHS), this blog explains why getting marketplace coverage is a good idea for many AI/AN consumers.

The third open enrollment period for consumers to buy health insurance through the marketplaces has officially begun! Automatic renewal will help ensure that people who got covered in 2015 stay covered in 2016. But to make sure they are getting the best plan they can afford and the right amount of tax credit, consumers will need to be active shoppers—and many will need help from assisters to make the right decision.

Across the country, enrollment assisters on the front lines are getting ready to help the uninsured enroll in health insurance and help people with health insurance renew their coverage. To be as efficient and effective as possible in this important work, assisters require dozens of resources at their fingertips. We have compiled some of the best resources that are essential to help enrollment assisters do their jobs.

The third open enrollment period for the health insurance marketplaces is only 10 days away. Like the last enrollment cycle, enrollment assisters will be working to renew health plans with a greater number of consumers who have complex questions. They will also continue seeking new consumers who lack health insurance. This year, however, such outreach efforts may not get the boost from media coverage they received in previous years.

During Hispanic Heritage Month we recognize the various contributions of our nation’s largest minority group and celebrate how far Latinos have advanced. This month is also a time to reflect on the fact that too many Latino communities lack the opportunities to live safe and healthy lives that are the foundation for building a strong, self-sufficient future. The good news is that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is helping more Hispanics obtain health insurance than ever before.

With a majority of states expanding Medicaid, many more people stand to benefit, including people recently released from incarceration. States are re-evaluating their policies regarding the Medicaid coverage of incarcerated residents. Here we explain why states should adopt policies that make it easier to keep the justice-involved population enrolled in coverage and offer ideas for working with your state to implement those policies.

On September 2, HHS announced grants to organizations from 34 states to deliver the in-person assistance that has proven essential to the enrollment process. We congratulate all those who received funding and applaud HHS for continuing to support these critical positions. One big change this year is that HHS awarded the grants for three years, with 12-month budget cycles. This shift to three-year funding brings stability to enrollment assisters in the 34 states that receive federal funding for navigators.

Across the country, states are experimenting with new health delivery models aimed at strengthening primary care and addressing social service needs that can affect a patient’s overall health. Both community health workers and enrollment assisters can serve an important role in this work by connecting clients with services that enable them to access care and manage their health.